Former Missouri teacher charged in child porn case

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) - A former Joplin middle school teacher is accused of using a teenage girl to produce child pornography.

The Joplin Globe (http://is.gd/sKbwod ) reports that 39-year-old Charles Dominic Gastel of Carterville was charged Friday in federal court with sexual exploitation of children. It's unclear if he has an attorney.

The affidavit says Gastel's son saw a video on his father's laptop computer that depicted a sexual assault.

The victim told authorities that two or three videos were created when she was 16. But the victim said she was 10 when the abuse began.

When told his laptop would be searched, Gastel told authorities there were things on it that would end his teaching career.

The Joplin school district says Gastel resigned at the end of the school year to seek employment elsewhere.

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Information from: The Joplin (Mo.) Globe, http://www.joplinglobe.com

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